SOP's Can you help, or do you want to learn?

[Amer]

How much is known of the genetics that influence bodytype? Like how the tail or wings are carried or how "full" a body looks?

Overall type is a quantitative trait. Quantitative means it is influenced by many unknown genes.
However, obvious faults and disqualifications like split wing, stubs, and crooked toes are often caused by simple recessive genes that can be a pain in the neck to eliminate.

 

[Sic]

Body type in poultry is considered a quantitative trait, which means it is influenced by multiple genes and is not controlled by a single gene pair. This type of inheritance is also known as polygenic inheritance. Traits such as body weight, body size, and shank length are examples of quantitative traits in poultry.

Quantitative traits are influenced by many genes that might interact with each other (gene × gene or gene × genotype interactions).

These traits typically have low to medium heritability, making it challenging to improve them through traditional direct phenotypic selection alone. IMO, this is why it is so much easier to start with a pair of birds that have the desired phenotype regardless of breed (purebred doesn't really exist in chickens)

 

[Amer]

Direct phenotypic selection is the only way to improve these traits though, difficult or not. And it is not impossible to get good birds from hatchery birds. I know someone who bred show quality d'Anvers from hatchery ones. Hatchery ones have a lot of genetic diversity. Many of them have all the necessary genes to get the correct breed type but they have a lot of other genes besides, and it is only by inbreeding birds with the desired traits that you can get show quality birds. Yes, I said it, the dreadful inbreeding word. Inbreeding is a tool, it can be used for good or evil, just like a knife. The trick is to inbreed the good traits and eliminate the bad ones. If faults emerge, they were already in the gene pool. It is the job of a responsible breeder to eliminate them, and to select for vitality always.

 

[Sic]

Direct phenotypic selection is the only way to improve these traits though, difficult or not. And it is not impossible to get good birds from hatchery birds. I know someone who bred show quality d'Anvers from hatchery ones. Hatchery ones have a lot of genetic diversity. Many of them have all the necessary genes to get the correct breed type but they have a lot of other genes besides, and it is only by inbreeding birds with the desired traits that you can get show quality birds. Yes, I said it, the dreadful inbreeding word. Inbreeding is a tool, it can be used for good or evil, just like a knife. The trick is to inbreed the good traits and eliminate the bad ones. If faults emerge, they were already in the gene pool. It is the job of a responsible breeder to eliminate them, and to select for vitality always.

I agree. I do know of breeders that have tried to influence body size in a breed by outcrossing to another breed, this can open up a whole new can of worms because they aren't just bringing body size and often ends in failure to improve your stock. Inbreeding is a very important tool, especially useful to unmask recessive genes.

 

[Sic]

I have purchased hatchery partridge chanteclers specifically for genetic diversity, half of them didn't remotely resemble chantecler except for a partridge pattern. In the end I have selected one cockerel and 3 pullets out of the 25 I received. Select the best - eat the rest is the way.

 

[Sic]

For those interested in APA SOPs that have not purchased a copy, this is a direct link to the SOP that is available for public use. You can read it online or download it, however, read the cautionary advice on dissemination of any of the contents. Unlike some other countries that freely offer their standards so all poultry enthusiasts are knowledgeable, for some strange reason ($$$) the APA SOPs are not.

https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924003039892

 

[Amer]

For those interested in APA SOPs that have not purchased a copy, this is a direct link to the SOP that is available for public use. You can read it online or download it, however, read the cautionary advice on dissemination of any of the contents. Unlike some other countries that freely offer their standards so all poultry enthusiasts are knowledgeable, for some strange reason ($$$) the APA SOPs are not.

https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924003039892

Everyone who wants to get to the meat of the issue, skip to page 32 and read from there, if you should read anything in the standard, you should read that, IMO, since they are what you should judge EVERY bird for, regardless of breed (or mix.)

 

[Amer]

Until you get to the Capon and Baby Chick Classes, which are no longer exhibited.

 

[Amer]

For those interested in APA SOPs that have not purchased a copy, this is a direct link to the SOP that is available for public use. You can read it online or download it, however, read the cautionary advice on dissemination of any of the contents. Unlike some other countries that freely offer their standards so all poultry enthusiasts are knowledgeable, for some strange reason ($$$) the APA SOPs are not.

https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924003039892

Thank you for sharing this! I will definitely be spending hours reading the old standard. Interesting about the baby chick standards, and how Buckeyes were taken out, and the face that the Rhode Island Red tail standard used to be 10 degrees higher.

 

[Sic]

Thank you for sharing this! I will definitely be spending hours reading the old standard. Interesting about the baby chick standards, and how Buckeyes were taken out, and the face that the Rhode Island Red tail standard used to be 10 degrees higher.

You're welcome! Trends are often set by both judges and breeders, which can eventually increase the likelihood of a breed association altering the breed standard to conform to the trend, whether we all like it or not is another matter.